Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-30


fash OF thought, how his initial had
struck and puzzleI her when his card
came with her bouquet to RISE Cottage
it seemed so long, long ago.
They had an awful significance now.
She slowly, yet deliberately, as oae in s
dream, drew the rose-diamoud ring from
her engaged finger and laid it on the
table.
For 8 moment she struggled against
the benumbed sensation that crept over
her faculties, then the darkness of might
seemed TO descend with oAiiYion upon
her, and sinking on the floor In q heap
she tainted.
When she recovered it was only for 8
time-to fall from one Wild and cart
rending parOXysm of grief into another,
for Amy was nervous creature, and one
all impulse, who could tske neither JOY
nor sorrow in Or quietuce, with reason
ooh, mamma, this is dreadful!" she
moaned, as she nestled childlike IN her
mothers breast, while . shiver shook her
from head 81 foot. "Dearest, l cannot
bear Is l never wish TO hear of bin
again, of COURSE" she continued 10 low
and despeiring voice. al fear Melanie
already suspects Lonsdaie. All men are
alike. Would that women were as IS Sc
SIS they, and had as little memory, too
and yet, mamma, love him STILL" she
added wildly. 81 cannot help it-yet il
is with a different love-still, On, my GOD,
when he is the husband of another one
should hate him. | know, papa, how SD,
how wicked, how vile this confusion q
th1ught is-of right and wong; but |
cannot yet corquer myself"
Her once happY face looked strangely
grey, even TO her mothers eyes; her
tender lips were quivering like those Of g
child when chtded; and the hesrts Of ne.
parents were-t0rn with anguish and in
! GlgDatiOn as they hearG h1T.
| 'Oh, Horace, Horace" she whispered
to herself, "why did you teach me TO love
| you-why2"
Aud hard indeed she found it to uproot
that love from her heart now. Where
were now the tenderness and devotion
| that had filled his eyes and thrilled IN his
voice when he bade her fsrewell-;hr
farewell that was only to be for little
time?
She wept, and interlaced her slender
fingers in modification and agony. A.
last her grief, her excitement st least,
were itself out, and she became Quieter
Thus, without warning, though sitter
long dread and suspicion, all her hapDl-
ness in her first and innocent girlish love
was dashed to pieces, like the crystal IN
the basket Of Alnsschar; the brightness
OF y was gone, and cloud had fallen
on her young life, cloud that might
never pass away.
Mentally, she wss recalling over and
over again the words and looks Of Horace
Musgrave when she saw him last; With
the ever useless and aching question
why had he deceived her, so wantonly, so
cruelty, when she believed him to De SO
loving, 30 honorable and tru, a?
Now, not until he was forever out Of
her reach, the husoand Of auother-1hat
odious, too odious, HlIds Tremsyne-did
she know how much she had loved, and
how deeply she now despised HIM.
The latter emotion was good; the
vicar knew it would certainly kill or cure
the first.
So a little time passed inexorably on.
One day, with DIM and hesvy eyes che
WIGS Illuminating some pious scrolls Tor
the decoration Of the village school |
room, and seeking by this manual occu- |
patton to keep her thoughts from this |
ever-schipg subject, when the post !,
brought to her father letter, which h |
read and re-read with blankest amaze.
ment portrayed in every feature OF mis- |
face.
''From whom is your lettsr, papap"
she asked, just with the faintest Interest !
"From tna;-that-from Captain Mus
gravel" he snapped out in q broken
voice.
"Horace?"
"Don't call him so, Amy. Yes; he is
mad"
"Papav'
eyes, must be; else, how dare he write
this to me? After little preamble, ht
says: 'We ere on our marriage visit to
Oxford, and shall Go myself the pleasure (
Df calling on you, and explaining without
delay much that must seem 8 mystery to
Miss Brendon. Tomorrow, at noon, l I
trust will suit you"
The vicar tore the letter into minute
shreds and csst them in the FIRE.
"To morrow-st noon!" be muttered.
II shall see him-face to face-cer-
family"
And as he muttered this he thought Of
loW he would crush the recreant uuder
torrent eff bitter reproaches, and felt, like
me Vicar of Wakefield-when his inter
7iew with Mr.. Burchell was at hand -
hat sit is easier to conceive than des
,ribe the complicated sensations which
ire felt from the pain OF recent injury
nd the pleasure Of approaching VEN
,eance."
Horace Musgrave coming hereto
again?" said Mrs. BrendoD,
q utter bewildermept such consum-
nate effrontery. show dare he-how
are her"
"Well, il he has befooled our child
zee, he cannot do so again." said the
icar, as ne took huge pincn OF snuff to
oothe his nerves, but did SO without
vail.
"But ne is coming here-here, he
7rote, to explain sll-all whst-thr
eartless wretch; or is it to mock the
uin he has made?"
"To.morrow you should visit MeIanie
,albot, Amy, and be ont of the way" 4
ali DR.. Srendun. "Most cruelty have
on suffered, my poor child, and as for
nis m.n Musgrave, cannot permit you
D look upon his tace again"
81 must, papa. / shall be brave. YOu
nil zee how brave l can be-" ssid Amy
'sYou will only subject yourself to 81 me
torture and useless mortii-
alton. II must not De-"
The anxiously wait, d for noon Of the
.errow duly came, and Amy felt herself /
5 If turned TO stone when an open car :
age deposited lady and gentleman at
le porch of the vicsrsge, and she 4
utched the arm Of her mother nervously
nd ayerted her face. while her father